Articles - The Bible

In a recent article the charge is made that the Bible contradicts itself. As incredible as such may seem to faithful Christians, the writer of that article claims to be a member of the Lord’s church.

The purposes of this article are: (1) to categorically deny the charge that the Bible contradicts itself, (2) to point out some implications of that charge, and (3) to make an appeal to brethren everywhere to awaken to the insidious danger which is posed to the Lord’s church by men who write such articles (as that referred to in the opening sentence) and by the journals which publish them.

No other group of people have exalted the authority of the Bible alone in matters of faith and practice so consistently as churches of Christ, pleading “where the Scriptures speak, we speak: where the scriptures are silent, we are silent.” However, when this plea is made in our modern world, the question is often raised, “Why do you believe the Bible to be God’s word and completely authoritative in religion?” There are many that reject its authority. Modern Protestantism has largely given up its allegiance to the Bible and has spent much of its effort in trying to discount the absolute authority of God’s word. Roman Catholicism has discredited the Bible’s authority while professing to be its friend, by claiming that it is not the complete authority, nor even final, for the final and absolute authority in the Roman Catholic church is the living voice of the church expressed primarily through the pronouncements of the pope.

On October 14, 1965, I wrote you in protest to Mr. J. D. Ratcliff’s pro-evolution article, “How Man Began,” which appeared in the October issue of The Reader’s Digest. I now have before me your reply of October 22. While I appreciate your response, I am disappointed in that you gave no attention to the contents of my letter, but were content to send me a “form letter.” I was especially anxious to have your answer to the question: “Would you be willing to carry an article in the Digest, written by scientist of unquestioned qualifications, in opposition to the theory of evolution?”

The sixth president of the United States, John Quincy Adams, wrote some remarkable letters to one of his sons while the boy was attending school in Massachusetts. Nine of the letters were published in 1848 in a book titled Letters of John Quincy Adams to His Son on the Bible and Its Teaching. In Letter II, Adams says, “There are three points of doctrine, the belief of which, forms the foundation of all morality. The first is, the existence of a God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; and the third is, a future state of rewards and punishments.” Adams continued “Suppose it possible for a man to disbelieve either of these articles of faith, and that man will have no conscience, he will have no other law than that of the tiger or the shark; the laws of man may bind him in chains, or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy” (22-23).

For Christianity, one of the foundational beliefs is that the Bible is the inspired word of God. Given that the Bible fulfills the first requirement to be considered inspired (that it claims to be the inspired word of God), Christians are tasked with proving its claims to be true. There are many ways to go about doing so, since the Bible possesses many characteristics that help to prove its claim of inspiration. One of the most convincing is that of the predictive prophecies which are both made and fulfilled within the pages of the Bible. A. M. Morris succinctly stated that “promises and their fulfillment, types and their anti-types, prophecies and their fulfillment in the facts of history, constitute a vast three fold system of divine testimony (1). If it is the case that the Bible contains even one property or characteristic that could not have originated with man, then it is the word of God. Since the Bible does contain at least one characteristic which could not have originated with man, that of predictive prophecy being made and fulfilled, the Bible is the word of God...

Many in the world believe in God. They know that there is something greater and wiser than them in the universe. Unfortunately, while many believe in God, they do not believe that He has ever or will ever speak to them. To them, He is some cruel cause who created us, and then like a negligent pet owner, left us to fend for our own. Fortunately, this could be no further from the truth...

Prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, I read an extremely interesting article about the delivery of 50,000 free copies of the New Testament to the USSR. This mass distribution of the Scriptures included 10,000 copies made available at the Moscow Book Fair. People, standing in long lines, waited for as long as two hours to receive a free copy of the New Testament. When the people saw that only a couple thousand copies remained, the crowd went out of control. Policemen had to be utilized to settle the crowd. Finally, when all the New Testaments had been taken, and several thousand people were left standing without a copy, addresses of those people were requested. In two days, 26,000 addresses were submitted, and all received by mail their New Testament!

Classical apologetics is the discipline of developing and giving reasons for Christianity, beginning with the evidence for three foundational truths: the existence of God, the inspiration of the Bible, and the divinity of Jesus. There always is an abundance of reasons at hand for teaching classical apologetics to young people. For example...

Used book sales often are the source of some great treasurers purchased at minimal prices. Such was the case when I made a visit to an annual Fall book sale that uncovered several good finds including one titled, Books that Made the Difference, a twenty year old study conducted by a husband-wife team, Gordon and Patricia Sabine, both university journalism professors. The Sabine’s travelled the country and interviewed some 1,400 Americans with regard to two questions: (1) What book made the greatest difference in your life? (2) What was the difference? The results of 200 of these interview were then published under the above title in a book sponsored by The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

When a man acknowledges there is a God, he acknowledges that God is the ultimate authority whose will is binding upon human beings. But, where is this authority to be found and how is his will conveyed to us as men? The answer is that God has drawn back the curtain and shown (revealed) himself through his mighty saving acts for man’s redemption and spoken that men might know the meaning of those acts and understand his will for men (Hebrews 1:1-2). While nature may tell something of God’s divinity and power as its author (Romans 1:20), and the moral experience of men may give some witness to a righteous God hidden from men (Romans 2:14-15), only as God shows himself in saving deed and word can men behold the entire plan of salvation and know how it relates to them. This is what the Bible claims to present to us.

It comes down to one word. If that word is true, then the Bible ought to matter more than all else in life. Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16). The word “inspiration” translates θεοπνευστος (THEOPNEUSTOS), a Greek word occurring only once in the New Testament. Its meaning, literally, is “God-breathed.” Such is the claim the Bible makes for itself—that its origin traces to God, who is responsible for the words of Scripture (1 Corinthians 2:13). Or, as Peter put it, the Holy Spirit “moved” Bible writers to take pen in hand and write down divine prophecies (2 Peter 1:21). There are so many evidences of the Bible’s inspiration that an article can scarcely begin to touch on the subject. For example...

Robert Milligan, while President of The College of the Bible in Kentucky University, wrote a book in 1867 titled Reason and Revelation. In the Introduction, Milligan wrote,

It is painful to see the popular indifference that is everywhere manifested for the Word of God. I do not mean to say, with some, that this indifference is increasing; or that it is even as great now as it was a hundred years ago. I am fully persuaded that it is not. Indeed, I feel entirely confident, that the Holy Scriptures had never before so great an influence over the masses of mankind as they have at present. But, nevertheless, their influence is very little in comparison with what it ought to be. Very few persons seem to believe the Bible with their whole hearts. And hence but few tremble at its solemn precepts and warnings. . . . (xi, emp. added)

While discussing the qualifications of the Bible student, Milligan states that the first moral qualification of the Bible student is “a profound reverence for the Bible. . . . [I]n all cases, and under all circumstances, we should approach the Bible as we would approach its Divine Author” (382).

In Isaiah chapter 40 and verse 31, we read, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” The obvious import and spiritual truth imparted by the passage is that strength and aid would provided to those who fear and follow God. But why is there an illustration about eagles included here? How does such a statement have application in this context?

No other book has been so attacked throughout history as has the Bible. Countless are the men who have sought to eradicate it—to do away with the Word of God once and for all, never to see it again. However,as mere men, they are powerless to accomplish such a feat.

During the FOX News February 27 broadcast of The O’Reilly Factor, Mr. Bill O’Reilly stated that the New Testament Gospel writers contradict each other, in addition to implying that the Bible contains other errors. On February 26, as the Factor Tip of the Day, Mr. O’Reilly urged his viewers to present what they believe in a “rational way.” As the following article sets forth, to be rational means that one honors the law of rationality. This means that one should draw only such conclusions as are warranted by the evidence. This article provides a sound base for responding to such claims as those made by Mr. O’Reilly.

Recently the Barna Group published a graphic ("America's Most and Least Bible-Minded Cities"). The chart ranked ninety-six American cities, according to the percent of population who were "Bible-minded." The results were based on 42,855 interviews conducted from 2005 through 2012.

Campbell stresses his belief in the need for controversy when he states: "There can be no improvement without controversy." On the face of it, this statement may seem too strong to be in harmony with Bible teaching. But, after clarifying what Campbell meant by change and controversy, it will be the purpose of this section to consider whether his view of such, is in harmony with New Testament teaching.